Muhammad Ali died of septic shock - family

Muhammad Ali, the former world heavyweight boxing champion, died at age 74 of septic shock due to unspecified natural causes, a family spokesman said on Saturday.

Ali, who had long suffered from Parkinson's syndrome, died at 9.10pm local time on Friday, spokesman Bob Gunnell said at a press conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, not far from the facility where Ali was hospitalised for a respiratory issue.

His public funeral will be held on Friday in Louisville, Kentucky, Gunnell said.